On March 22, the baseball team’s season was slipping away. The Bulldogs were swept at Ohio State, losing by 10 or more runs in each game. Sitting at 5-19 and searching for momentum, the Bulldogs looked far from a team ready to make noise in conference play.
In a matter of days, everything shifted. Butler claimed a midweek bout with Toledo on March 24 and won their first series of the season against Milwaukee on March 29. Now, after completing a sweep of Villanova, the Dawgs have improved to 11-20 overall and opened Big East play a perfect 3-0 — a stunning turnaround for a team that, just a couple of weeks ago, was looking for any sign of life.
Game One
The Dawgs kicked the door down in the first game, jumping out to a 7-0 lead in the opening two innings. Five of those runs came courtesy of senior catcher Connor Sackett, who dropped a two-run single to right field in the first, and laced a bases-clearing double to left field in the second.
Seven runs were plenty for first-year pitcher Grayson Bradberry to settle in, as the right-hander gave his team a steady five innings of work with just three runs allowed.
Villanova drew close thanks to home runs from redshirt sophomore catcher Mark Gialluisi and senior infielder Michael Whooley, but it was too little too late.
Sophomore pitcher Corbin Snyder worked Butler out of trouble in the ninth to secure an 8-6 win in game one.
Game Two
The second game saw Butler triumph by the comeback variety. Villanova senior utility man Collin Quintano jumped on sophomore pitcher Max Winders with a home run in the second, giving the Wildcats an early lead. Butler answered in the third to tie the game, but runs were hard to come by, as graduate pitcher Jack Kelley was locked in for Villanova.
Kelly struck out nine Bulldogs, but his day ended when junior outfielder Gavin Gilmore sent one over the wall in left field, giving Butler a 3-2 lead in the sixth.
Winders also ran into trouble in the sixth, as Villanova plated two runs of their own to retake the lead. The Wildcats added insurance in the eighth, scoring on a Butler error.
Trailing by two in the ninth, the Bulldogs flipped the game on its head. Junior utility man David Ayers reached on a hit-by-pitch to lead off the inning, and got to round the bases promptly as redshirt junior catcher Will White shot a game-tying two-run home run over the right field fence. The Dawgs were not done, as senior infielder Logan Baker immediately followed up with a solo home run to left field, giving Butler the lead in a blink. The Bulldogs tacked on a seventh run on an RBI walk by Gilmore, and brought home a 7-5 win to take the series.
Game Three
The third game of the series was defined by Butler’s ace, senior pitcher Brock Buckley. After he was called on to record the save in game two of the series, Buckley took the ball looking for a sweep and delivered.
The right-hander gave his team seven scoreless innings, allowing just one baserunner and punching out seven Wildcats. Buckley had it all working, throwing 65 strikes on 86 total pitches, using his whole arsenal to dominate Villanova’s offense.
The Bulldogs’ bats, on the other hand, remained scorching hot. Junior first baseman Matthew Rhoades and Gilmore led the offensive attack for the Dawgs, collecting three RBIs apiece. Rhoades clubbed his 17th home run of the season in a four-run third inning, now sitting just five home runs away from breaking Butler’s single-season home run record with 23 games left on the schedule.
Gilmore, who had the chance to play in front of fans from his high school — Rancocas Valley Regional High School — had his best series in a Butler uniform. The Jersey native homered in each of the three games in Philly, finding himself just a triple away from the cycle in game three.
It got ugly in the end for the Wildcats, as Butler pummeled them in game three, 10-1.
Looking ahead
The Dawgs’ sweep of Villanova was not just three more in the win column; it reinforced how quickly the “junkyard dawgs” have reshaped their identity. What once looked like a lost season has turned into a winning streak fueled by timely hitting, dominant pitching and a lively dugout that clearly believes in its momentum.
In 2025, Butler managed just four conference wins in 21 attempts. A year later, the Bulldogs are a perfect 3-0, and look to keep the momentum going.
The Dawgs will be back home on April 7 at Bulldog Park, when they take on Southern Indiana, looking to keep their hot streak alive in front of a home crowd.